Steve Hughes of HCS International Appointed to CAWA’s Board of Directors |
Steve Hughes of HCS International has been appointed to CAWA’s Board of Directors. During the appointment process, Michael Rukov, Chair of the Board of Directors, commented: “Steve has served CAWA over the years as a member of our Manufacturers Advisory Council and is currently Chair of the Public Affairs Committee. We look forward now to his participation and contributions to our Board of Directors, members at large and the automotive aftermarket industry,” continued Rukov.
Steve Hughes has over 48 years of Supply Chain experience in the automotive aftermarket industry. During that time, he worked or consulted for some of the industry's leading companies. Hughes is a consultant for both the automotive aftermarket, through its trade associations and to individual companies under the aegis of his company HCS International. In addition, HCS International is the representative for Gemini Shippers Association, a non-profit ocean freight buying group, to the automotive Industry.
See complete press release here. |
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A Request from This Year’s Scholarship Fundraising Committee Chair – Michael Beam of Idemitsu Lubricants |
Industry week in Las Vegas will be here sooner than we think and with that comes the Annual CAWA scholarship fund raiser auction and dinner. With that being said, we are already working on the plans for this, and I am reaching out to you (members, supplier’s, WD’s and mentors) for donations to help support the 2022 CAWA Scholarship Fund. We, as mentors, should always be looking for ways to help make the younger generation feel welcome into our industry. They will be the life blood of our community, as they will soon be the ones running aftermarket companies, fixing our vehicles (both gas and electric), as well as designing the new vehicles. One of the best ways to help support them, is to offer scholarships like the CAWA has done for the last several years. See the complete request for contributions, (both prizes and a financial contribution), ( here) and the donor form ( here). Thank you. |
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Thinking About Selling Your Business? Put These Five Items on Your “To Do” List |
Aftermarket business valuations are at a high point, so be prepared now.
Every time you read an industry publication these days, it seems as though yet another aftermarket company has been acquired. It’s not your imagination: Merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in the automotive aftermarket has increased significantly over the last several years. Many segments, especially manufacturing, distribution, tire dealers, car washes, collision repair facilities and repair and service businesses, are consolidating, and there’s no hint of that trend slowing down. Thinking about selling your business? Take a look at the “to do” list in this article here.
Source: Rick Schwartz, Managing Partner, Schwartz Advisors, LLC
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The State of E-Commerce and Its Supply Chain |
Supply chain professionals and executives provide insight into consumer-driven trends, the technology helping top companies adapt and the e-commerce strategies changing the future of the supply chain. E-commerce has been an important term and concept in the retail industry for the last two decades, with continued growth since its inception. But, in just one year, the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic pushed e-commerce dramatically forward in a short period of time just out of sheer necessity in a way never seen before. According to a survey from McKinsey, executives believe that the digitization of their customer and supply chain interactions and internal operations grew by 3-4 years in 2020, while digitally enabled products accelerated by seven years. See whitepaper here. Source: Supply & Demand Chain Executive
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Women Techs: Solving the Tech Shortage Problem |
High demand for technicians continues to be a pressing concern in all sectors of the transportation industry — automotive, collision, diesel, aviation, marine and more — and it’s a concern that increases yearly as fewer people pursue a career as a technician. As indicated in TechForce Foundation’s 2021 Transportation Technician Supply & Demand Report, the industry’s demand for automotive, collision and diesel technicians in 2021 exceeded the number of technicians completing their certification in 2020 by over 500%. These industries need to quintuple the number of technicians entering the field to keep up with current demands.
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Member Corner - Thanks for Your Membership and Support From CAWA |
“Who stands in the way of disruptive policies guarding our industry from the next big idea that starts in Sacramento and trickles down to the rest of the country? Who protects our lifestyles while we do our day-to-day jobs in our beloved industry? Yes, CAWA is a first line of defense for our entire Auto Care Industry. To me personally, CAWA, is much more than that – it’s a place where I find my friends, it’s a place where I feel safe and know that Rodney and his team are watching my back, it’s a place where you should be as well. Become an active member, change the narrative one good deed at a time – your life will never be the same”.
~ Michael Rukov, IMR, Inc.
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The New Way to Warehouse: 4 Innovations in Automation & Robotics to Boost eCommerce Fulfillment Productivity |
Discover how new shopping trends are reshaping eCommerce fulfillment and the four technology innovations warehouses can implement to keep up with the pressures of the on-demand world:
- Intelligent inventory placement and management
- Smart labor productivity tools
- Decoupling dependencies between robots and people
- Creating a fully orchestrated warehouse
See the complete report here. Source: Innovation Via Robotics
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Wildfires and Financial Assistance - Information You Should Know Now and for Future Reference |
Should you and/or your employees be affected by these wildfires, you should know that the Automotive Aftermarket Charitable Foundation ( www.aacfi.org) has funds to support aftermarket associates in these catastrophic events. Also, the Collision Industry Foundation's Disaster Relief Task Force can give support to industry employees. Application for natural disaster assistance here. |
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Personnel/Payroll Record Requests: Timely Response Important |
An employee has asked for a copy of his personnel file and payroll records. What documents are the employee legally entitled to receive? See the answer here. Source: Our Friends at the California Chamber of Commerce
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Companies are Conducting More Investigations Now than Ever Before. How Can They Conduct Them More Efficiently? |
Investigating employee complaints has become even more challenging after several years of enduring the COVID-19 pandemic. While your time may be spread thinner across an increasing number of investigations, there may be fewer investigators to review these concerns, and your employee population, witnesses, evidence and stakeholders may be more geographically dispersed than ever. Planning and conducting your investigation efficiently is key. Here are some helpful considerations. Source: Littler
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Workers Compensation Premium Savings and Value Offered to CAWA Members in California |
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Health Insurance Premium Dollars Can be Saved by You and Your Automotive Customers in Arizona |
The automotive industry has rallied in 2021, growing year over year despite the COVID-challenged economy. Now automotive businesses can enhance their health plan benefits for their valued employees with the CAWA Arizona Health Trust (CAWA) Association Health Plan through Blue Cross® Blue Shield® of Arizona (BCBSAZ). For more details, click here. You could be saving your company many insurance premium dollars! Another member benefit.
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Affordable Health Insurance for the Auto-Industry in Nevada |
Good employees are hard to find and even harder to keep. Providing quality health insurance is good for employee retention, morale and it’s the right thing to do. Now you can do that at an even better cost. CAWA’s Association Health Plans are less expensive and offer richer health benefits than a traditional Small Group health plan. If you think your insurance premium costs are high or that you don’t have access to the right doctors, it’s time to explore other options. See more here and call 877.737.0184 for details. Another member benefit.
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